Every September, we welcome over 200 new and 400 returning undergraduates into our laboratories. Over the next twelve weeks, we prepare the lab classes, keep our wide range of instrumentation running and support everyone who uses the lab. The break for Christmas and the exams is a time to catch up with jobs we haven’t managed to complete in the hustle and bustle of the teaching weeks; then another twelve weeks of teaching begins. After that, the summer outreach programme starts and the lab life cycle is complete. But ask my team what they enjoy the most about this time and they will reply: “Spending time with the students.”
Over the three years, we form a relationship with them which is much like a trusted relative, someone who can give pastoral support, be impartial and guide them in their experiments without interfering. There are laughs along the way, a few tears and always lots of fun!
This year, things have been severely disrupted. We were looking forward to the last week of labs with our third year, it’s normally a very happy and emotional moment, where we can wish those graduating good luck with everything they do next. Two days before this was due to happen, we got that email: “Due to the Coronavirus pandemic we will cease all face to face teaching.” We set about cleaning all the instruments and ensuring they were turned off; making plans to fill the NMRs; making the labs safe and seeing my staff home safely.
